Brewed to Perfection: Quiet Tea | LeviHan | Levi Ackerman x Hange Zoe | FalBi

Chapter 2: Opening Day

The morning of Quiet Tea's grand opening arrived with the subtlety of a Titan stomp. Even before the first sliver of dawn cracked the horizon, Gabi was already outside the door, bouncing around like an overcharged Thunder Spear. Falco, in stark contrast, carried a box of mismatched teacups with the calm of a seasoned veteran facing yet another unexpected mission.

"It's going to be perfect!" Gabi declared, her eyes gleaming as she peered through the shop's window. "People are going to love it."

Levi, meticulously arranging tins of loose-leaf tea behind the counter, shot her a look sharp enough to slice a Titan's nape. "If you break anything, you're banned for life."

"I'm helping," Gabi chirped, managing to ignore him entirely as she swept into the shop, nearly toppling a carefully arranged display of teapots.

"You're a natural disaster," Levi muttered, readjusting the display with the precision of a surgeon. "Falco, try to keep her out of the epicenter."

Falco, always the mediator, set down his box with care. "She's excited, Captain. It's a big day."

Levi sighed, the weight of the day already settling on his shoulders. "It's just tea, not a Titan assault."

Promptly at nine, Onyankopon flipped the sign to 'Open' and clapped Levi on the back with a grin that could light up the underground. "You've got this, Captain."

"Don't call me that," Levi grumbled, a half-hearted glare sent Onyankopon's way as the first trickle of customers began to wander in. The curious locals mixed with a few skeptical older women and a middle-aged man who seemed deeply interested in the exotic tea menu.

"What do you want?" Levi's tone was more interrogation than invitation.

The man blinked, taken aback. "Uh... tea?"

"You're in the right place, then," Levi responded dryly.

Onyankopon quickly stepped in, his voice a soothing balm to Levi's curt snaps. "Welcome to Quiet Tea! What can we get started for you today?"

While Onyankopon charmed the patrons, Levi focused on the tea, each measure and pour calculated with military precision.

A woman from the first group took a sip and smiled. "This is lovely."

Levi's grunt was almost a thank you, which Onyankopon swiftly translated into a more palatable, "He's glad you enjoy it."

As the morning wore on, the shop filled with a bustling crowd. Gabi's version of "helping" involved greeting every new arrival with a volume suited for battlefield commands. "Welcome to Quiet Tea!" she shouted, startling an elderly couple. "We've got the best tea in town! Levi's super picky about it, so you know it's good!"

Levi glared at her from behind the counter. "Stop yelling."

"I'm not yelling!" Gabi said, her voice still far too loud. She grabbed a tray of teacups and attempted to deliver them to a table, only to trip over a chair leg. The cups clattered to the floor, miraculously not breaking, but spilling tea everywhere.

Levi groaned, grabbing a towel. "I told you-"

"I've got it!" Gabi interrupted, frantically mopping up the spill with a stack of napkins. "No problem!"

Falco, meanwhile, was diligently wiping tables and refilling sugar bowls, but his nervousness made him slow, which didn't escape Levi's notice.

"Hurry up, Falco," Levi said, placing another pot of tea on the counter. "You're not painting a masterpiece."

Onyankopon shot Levi a look that said, "They're trying their best."

"Their best is a hazard," Levi retorted, though the twitch of his lips hinted at reluctant amusement.

The day's unpredictability peaked when the door swung open and a familiar voice rang out. "Looking sharp, Captain!"

Jean Kirstein strode in, his casual swagger in stark contrast to the controlled chaos of the tea shop. Connie Springer followed, eyes wide with mock surprise.

"Is this real?" Connie asked, squinting at the shop. "Levi Ackerman, running a tea shop?"

"It's real," Levi muttered, glaring at them. "Unfortunately."

Jean whistled, looking around. "Not bad. Though I gotta say, I didn't peg you for the cozy café type."

Connie leaned on the counter, grinning. "Do you have coffee? Or is that, like, illegal in here?"

Levi's eye twitched. "If you want coffee, go somewhere else."

"Oh, he's serious," Connie said, laughing. "This is great."

Gabi, thrilled to see familiar faces, bounded over. "Jean! Connie! What are you doing here?"

"We've been in Port Whitestone for the past week," Jean explained, referring to a nearby bustling port town from Ayoluwa. "Hange told us about the opening. She said, 'If you two don't show up, I'll make you regret it for the rest of your lives.' So here we are."

"And to see if Levi's gone soft," Connie added with a laugh.

Levi shot them a glare sharp enough to pierce steel. "If you're here to cause trouble, leave."

"Relax," Jean said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "We're here to support you. Sort of."

Gabi practically bounced in place. "Want some tea? I can-"

"Absolutely not," Levi interrupted before she could create another disaster. "Gabi is banned from serving."

Connie chuckled. "This is already the best part of the trip."

By late afternoon, the crowd had thinned, leaving only the sticky residue of spilled tea and the echo of laughter. Onyankopon leaned against the counter, surveying the aftermath.

"For a first day, I'd call that a success," he declared.

Levi raised an eyebrow. "That's what you call success?"

"You had customers, didn't you? And they liked the tea. That's a win."

Levi grunted, conceding the point as he poured himself a cup of tea, the rich aroma a small solace. Gabi and Falco slumped into chairs nearby, their earlier zeal replaced by exhausted satisfaction.

"See?" Gabi beamed. "Told you it'd be great."

Levi took a slow sip, the silence a balm after the day's cacophony. "It's a start."